Heathrow Airport raised its terminal drop-off charge to £7 with a 10-minute maximum stay on 1 January 2026. The change applies to all four terminal forecourts (T2, T3, T4 and T5) and is enforced automatically by ANPR cameras. The previous £5 rate is no longer in force. Here is the full rule, the exemptions, the free alternative and how to pay before the fine kicks in.
The 2026 rate
- Charge: £7 per visit, all four terminals.
- Maximum stay: 10 minutes.
- Enforcement: ANPR cameras at every entry and exit. There are no barriers and no payment booths on site.
- Per-minute escalation beyond 10 minutes: further charges apply for overstay; the rate is intentionally punitive to deter sitting on the forecourt.
- Effective date: 1 January 2026, when the rate increased from £5.
How to pay (and the 24-hour deadline)
Payment is online or by phone, not at the airport. You can pay:
- In advance, if you know the trip is happening.
- On the day, after you have left the forecourt.
- By midnight the day after your visit. This is the hard deadline.
Miss the midnight-following-day deadline and Heathrow issues a Penalty Charge Notice, typically £80 (reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days, escalating to £100-plus if unpaid). Always pay within 24 hours, even if you are still on holiday; you can pay from anywhere with an internet connection.
Exemptions
- Blue Badge holders: exempt from both the £7 charge and the 10-minute time limit. Register your Blue Badge with Heathrow in advance to avoid the automatic fee being applied and needing a refund.
- Two-wheeled motorbikes: not subject to the charge.
- Licensed taxis on a metered fare: handled separately, not on the £7 rate.
The free alternative
The only free way to drop someone off at Heathrow is to park at the Long Stay car park, where you get a free shuttle into the terminal. The shuttle takes 8 to 12 minutes each way and runs 24/7. The trade-off: a 30 to 40 minute round trip for the parking driver instead of 5 to 10 minutes for a forecourt drop-off. It is the cheapest option but the time cost is real.
Heathrow also operates free short-stay Long Stay drop-off pull-ins at some terminals where you can stop briefly without entering the £7 forecourt zone. These are marked as “free drop-off” signage and require following posted limits.
The drop-off trap most people fall into
Travellers think the £7 covers “the full visit”. It does not. The £7 applies to every entry-and-exit pair. If you drop someone off, leave, then come back five minutes later because they forgot something, that is a second £7 charge. Likewise on collection: every visit to the forecourt is a separate £7 charge, even if it is the same calendar day.
What changed on 1 January 2026
The previous rate was £5 with a 10-minute limit (introduced in 2021). On 1 January 2026, Heathrow raised the charge to £7 and tightened enforcement around the 10-minute cap. Heathrow announced the change in late 2025 as a Conditions of Use decision, citing forecourt congestion and operational costs.
Heathrow is now in line with the highest UK airport drop-off charges. Most major UK airports raised their drop-off charges in 2025-26; see our UK Airport Drop Off Charges 2026 pillar guide for the full national comparison.
How Heathrow compares to other UK airports
| Airport | Drop-off charge | Time limit |
|---|---|---|
| Heathrow (LHR) | £7 | 10 min |
| Gatwick (LGW) | £6 | 10 min |
| Stansted (STN) | £7 | 10 min |
| Luton (LTN) | £7 | 10 min |
| Manchester (MAN) | £6 | 10 min |
| Bristol (BRS) | £8.50 | 10 min |
| Birmingham (BHX) | £6 | 15 min |
| East Midlands (EMA) | £5 | 15 min |
| Leeds Bradford (LBA) | £7 | 10 min |
If you forget to pay
- You will receive a Penalty Charge Notice in the post, typically within 14 days.
- The standard charge is £80, discounted to £40 if paid within 14 days of issue.
- If unpaid after 28 days, the penalty escalates and may be passed to a debt-collection agency.
- You can appeal a PCN if you genuinely paid on time or were exempt (Blue Badge). Keep the payment confirmation email.
Five things to do if you are dropping someone off at Heathrow
- Set a phone reminder to pay the £7 before midnight the next day. Do this BEFORE you drive home; it takes 60 seconds.
- Stay under the 10-minute mark. The forecourt is not a parking space.
- If you have a Blue Badge, register it with Heathrow in advance.
- If you are likely to need a second pickup or drop-off, factor in another £7 per visit.
- If you have time and your traveller is happy, use the free Long Stay shuttle option instead.
The honest one-line answer
The Heathrow drop-off forecourt at £7 for 10 minutes is the convenience option. Worth it for a one-way drop-off where you save 30 to 40 minutes of round-trip Long Stay shuttle time. The free Long Stay drop-off remains an option for travellers with willing drivers and time on their hands.
Plan the rest of your Heathrow trip
- For parking, see our Cheapest Heathrow Airport Parking in 2026.
- For routes and terminal access, see Driving to Heathrow Airport.
- For lounges, see Heathrow Airport Lounges 2026.